Germany counts cost of nuclear-to-renewables shift
(Reuters) - Germany must invest tens of billions of euros in its power grid over the coming decade to avoid an electricity shortfall as it switches from nuclear to renewable energy, grid operators said on Tuesday.
Germany's government, the federal energy network regulator and grid firms unveiled joint plans to build thousands of kilometers of new electricity lines by 2022, to help distribute volatile renewable energy.
Martin Fuchs, whose company TenneT TSO operates the grid to carry offshore wind power from the North Sea to mainland destinations, said that on top of 20 billion euros that must be invested onshore, there would also be a bill of perhaps 12 billion euros to connect future wind parks.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that, despite the cost, there was no going back on the country's decision to stop using nuclear power, describing her "Energiewende", or energy revolution, as "demanding but exciting".
"The process is gathering speed, so that we can catch up on a backlog and transmit renewable energy in a sensible fashion," Merkel said at a news conference with the grid operators.
She added that that she wanted to establish the legal foundation for expanding the power grid by the end of the year.
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